650 wheels on a cross bike?

[Kathi]

Who's you're fitter?

[MartianDestiny]

Who's you're fitter?

Kathi,

My fitter is Chris Jacobson at Sports Garage in Boulder

Here's the shop's fitting page:
http://sportsgarage.net/articles/bic...ices-pg124.htm

And his (short) bio at Serotta:
http://www.serottacyclinginstitute.com/staff.html

It's so nice having the best of the best a bike-ride away from home
I definitely HIGHLY recommend him (and really anyone else in there) for fitting, service, or bike purchases/advice. It's hands down the best bike shop I've ever set foot in. They're good people. I consider them all good friends.

(No, I don't get commission But if you stop in and tell them Trinity sent you they'll all get a good laugh. I've sent 4 or 5 people in so far that have walked out with bikes...)

[Kathi]

That's who I thought. You are definitely in good hands. Chris built my Custom Serotta-Ottrott, 48 cm frame with 650c wheels. The fit is wonderful!

At the time I didn't know Chris very well so it was a huge leap of faith for me to commit that amount of money to a fitter and a company I didn't know well.

The care that Chris and his employees took with me the first time I went into his shop convinced me I was in good hands. Besides, he had trained the fitter I worked with in Cincinnati.

[MartianDestiny]

Ooooo, custom Serotta!! That may be my PhD present to myself! I always drool over those in the shop. They are out of my league for now though.

I know far too well the "leap of faith" you speak of. People have been trying to get me to get a custom bike for awhile now and I just couldn't get over that trusting someone to build it to fit and ride the way I wanted without me, well, riding it first.

A year of riding with and 2 bike purchases (a Yeti and an Wilier) from Chris though and I had no doubt in my mind letting him get one built up for me. He said "custom Spot" and I said "when's the fitting" without batting an eye.

The first time I ever walked into the shop was about 20 minutes before they closed and on a school night (so I walked in like the typical student with a backpack, etc) wondering if they had an XXS Yeti I could try. It was late and raining so I expected to come back that weekend if they had one (I also never expected they'd have one). Chris spent 30 minutes on a trainer fitting me to that test bike, and then even though they were closed and it was raining INSISTED I go ride it and get it muddy as well as the other bike they had that would fit (a rocky mountain) for comparisons sake. Any other shop would have probably treated me like a stupid short chick that didn't know what she was doing and couldn't afford the bike anyway; especially at that time of day (and even a good shop would have told me to come back at a different time). Chris is just simply amazing.

Do you ever come ride up this way?

[Kathi]

Ooooo, custom Serotta!! That may be my PhD present to myself! I always drool over those in the shop. They are out of my league for now though.

I know far too well the "leap of faith" you speak of. People have been trying to get me to get a custom bike for awhile now and I just couldn't get over that trusting someone to build it to fit and ride the way I wanted without me, well, riding it first.

A year of riding with and 2 bike purchases (a Yeti and an Wilier) from Chris though and I had no doubt in my mind letting him get one built up for me. He said "custom Spot" and I said "when's the fitting" without batting an eye.

The first time I ever walked into the shop was about 20 minutes before they closed and on a school night (so I walked in like the typical student with a backpack, etc) wondering if they had an XXS Yeti I could try. It was late and raining so I expected to come back that weekend if they had one (I also never expected they'd have one). Chris spent 30 minutes on a trainer fitting me to that test bike, and then even though they were closed and it was raining INSISTED I go ride it and get it muddy as well as the other bike they had that would fit (a rocky mountain) for comparisons sake. Any other shop would have probably treated me like a stupid short chick that didn't know what she was doing and couldn't afford the bike anyway; especially at that time of day (and even a good shop would have told me to come back at a different time). Chris is just simply amazing.

Do you ever come ride up this way?

No, I haven't ridden in the Boulder area mainly because I don't know the area and it's so easy to ride out my garage and head anywhere in the Denver area that it's hard to put my bike in the car and drive to a ride.

Yes, a custom Serotta. After 2 road bikes that didn't fit I gave up and went custom. Like you say, it's very scary spending the money on a bike you have no chance of riding.

My experience with Chris and SG was this. I was new to the area and had promised myself a custom frame for my retirement. It was between Seven and Serotta and I called several shops in the Denver area. While they were very encouraging about helping me out they were very discouraging about having anything small enough for me to do a test ride. When I called SG their response was they had a smaller Serotta frame and they would do everything possible to match it to my current bike. When I arrived Chris met me at the door, greeted me like I was an old friend and indeed set the bike up close enough for me to demo and get a feel for a Serotta and a carbon/ti frame. Chris told me to focus on the frame materials and not the size of the bike. I thought the bike felt pretty good size wise and wondered if I needed a smaller frame. Then Chris sent me out on highway 36. We got around 15 miles in and while I loved the feel of the bike my body started to ache everywhere. Yes, a too big of a bike does not feel very good.

In January I set up an appt for a fitting and to proceed with the build. A week before the fitting I tore my ACL and had to cancel. I had surgery in late Feb. but Chris fitted was still able to do the fitting in spite of the injury. Of course, I worried that my injury would throw the fit off but when I finally got my bike, wow, it fit so perfectly not one thing had to be changed.

When I had knee and back issues last summer Chris saw that my saddle was contributing to the problem and recommended a different saddle. Later I bought the same saddle for my mtn bike from another shop (big mistake) who tried to fit it and had to take it to Chris for a proper fit. He made some other changes and wow how much better the bike rides. So now if I need to make changes to my bike Chris is the only person I'll take them to.

Are you going to the bike maintaince clinic that Outdoor divas and SG are doing tomorrow night?

[MartianDestiny]

Are you going to the bike maintaince clinic that Outdoor divas and SG are doing tomorrow night?

Thought it was Wed? I was still debating honestly. I don't need the maintenance advice but wouldn't mind getting more info on chick rides in the area. Were you planning on going?

Ah yes, the dreaded 36 on a bike that doesn't fit, no fun is it?

I had that experience after he convinced me I HAD to join the club last year (which was primarily road riding, but getting more mountain in this year!). Showed up to the first ride in February with my crappy old Giant OCR3 which had never been fitted to me and weighs something like 26 pounds and is a Sora level triple with only 8 rear cogs. Yea, you see where THIS one is going.

Chris pushed me, miserable, through most of that ride. ALL the way out to Lyons, ALL the way back in, refusing to let me quit and not saying a word (except those of encouragement) until finally I croaked (somewhere between gasps for air) "I don't think this bike is going to cut it" and the answer was "well I have one waiting on you to try out if you want". Which I of course did. Which is how I somehow ended up buying 2 bikes within 6 months (less?). And, O, what a difference 12 less pounds and proper gearing will make!

Now he has convinced me I need to try cyclocross so I can race and train with the club in the fall too. Thus the custom bike. Cunning little devil he is! But it's definitely a good friend saying "but this is AMAZING and you should try it" not some money hungry shop owner talking, which is what I love about SG. Chris drove me to his house so I could check out KC's Spot cross bike just to show me how sweet it was before I made my mind up. Yea, THAT's never going to happen somewhere else!

[Kathi]

Thought it was Wed? I was still debating honestly. I don't need the maintenance advice but wouldn't mind getting more info on chick rides in the area. Were you planning on going?

Ah yes, the dreaded 36 on a bike that doesn't fit, no fun is it?

I had that experience after he convinced me I HAD to join the club last year (which was primarily road riding, but getting more mountain in this year!). Showed up to the first ride in February with my crappy old Giant OCR3 which had never been fitted to me and weighs something like 26 pounds and is a Sora level triple with only 8 rear cogs. Yea, you see where THIS one is going.

Chris pushed me, miserable, through most of that ride. ALL the way out to Lyons, ALL the way back in, refusing to let me quit and not saying a word (except those of encouragement) until finally I croaked (somewhere between gasps for air) "I don't think this bike is going to cut it" and the answer was "well I have one waiting on you to try out if you want". Which I of course did. Which is how I somehow ended up buying 2 bikes within 6 months (less?). And, O, what a difference 12 less pounds and proper gearing will make!

Now he has convinced me I need to try cyclocross so I can race and train with the club in the fall too. Thus the custom bike. Cunning little devil he is! But it's definitely a good friend saying "but this is AMAZING and you should try it" not some money hungry shop owner talking, which is what I love about SG. Chris drove me to his house so I could check out KC's Spot cross bike just to show me how sweet it was before I made my mind up. Yea, THAT's never going to happen somewhere else!

Oops, I meant Wed. I keep thinking today is Tuesday. I'd love to go but I'm in Silverthorne for the week. It's still ski season. Divas needs to do a clinic at the Denver store for us Denverites in late April or May.

Yep, sound's like Chris and I hate to say he's right! I'm glad he didn't invite me to join the club, especially for cross, he knows I wouldn't be happy on anything but a Serotta Cross.

Chris sets such a high standard it's hard to go to any other LBS.

[cycling78]

Informative for me.